NIGERIA – The Senate on Thursday screened 14 ministerial nominees, bringing to 24 the total number of nominees screened after 10 were screened on Wednesday.
Of the 10 screened on Wednesday, six were asked to ‘take a bow’.
And of the 14 screened on Thursday, 10 were given the same special treatment of not asking them questions.
This means that two-thirds of ministerial nominees were cleared without being asked critical questions on their competence for the job.
The reasons for asking the majority nominees to ‘take a bow’ ranged from being former lawmakers (federal or state) to being ‘loyal’.
Those screened include- Sen. Tayo Alasoadura (Ondo), Abubakar Aliyu (Yobe), Mustapha Shehuri (Borno), Retired Maj. Gen. Bashir Magashi (Kano) , Mrs Zuibaru Dada (Niger) and Timipre Slyva (Bayelsa).
Others are – Mrs Ramatu Aliyu (Kogi), Niyi Adebayo (Ekiti), Mohammed Abdullahi (Nassarawa), Sunday Dare (Oyo), Muhammadu Bello (Adamawa), Sen. Chris Ngige (Anambra) and Sadiya Umar-Farouk (Zamfara).
The President of the Senate, Dr Ahmad Lawan announced at the end of Thursday’s screening that eight more would be screened on Friday.
Lawan said those scheduled for Friday included- Goody Jeddy-Agba (Cross River), Dr Osagie Ehanire (Edo), Suleiman Adamu (Jigawa), Hadi Sirika (Kaduna), Abubakar Malami (Kebbi), Gbemisola Saraki (Kwara), Mrs Paulen Talen (Plateau) and Muhammdu Dingyadi (Sokoto)
